New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-11

IT, WINS u great relief to Captain Bruce and MS
friends when the painful inquiry endcd In
verdict Of accidental death, and stlii more when
the military court subsequently held upon Ihe
occurrence pronounced him free from blame. Dut
he had TO face more terrible ordeal; that Oh
public opinion. This he read In the looks Vi
his brother officers and it WIS SO hosuie o''ao
he left the service and disappeared no ono hnc"
whittier. lie did not see Dora again. 'n ,s,
diately after the Inquiries upon poor Arch'e
death, she left home so full OF palhiui asS..i"-
tions. and went to live with her married Drother.
IL was at this time that the singular white streaK
appeared in her hair, and change came over
the bright and happy girl, whose mental suherlhgs
were now so painfully evident to her irienns
About three years after Archie DAILY S tragic
death her brother demonstrated with her' he
spoke of the time which hal elapsed since her
loss, and Of the Jelly of burying her lie In the
young mans grave. and urged her to try to look
favorably upon q certain friend who was then
paying her marked attention. / am sure, ne
said in the end, that il the poor fellow couid
sJealS from his grave he would say what am
saving You need not love DAILY less because
you live your life, Dora"
"But did not love him at all, Reginald" she
replied quietly; ut was the other"
All these things passed through Dora's mind as
she sat in the quiet night, her head resting on
the Silver CaslSet, and wondered, as she had 50
often wondered, if Charlie Bruce was ST. alive;
of him teyond vague rumor that he had joined
some irregular force in India
Morning brought one of those golden October
DAYS which seem like n vision OF summer beauty
shining through tie softening medium OF memory
and imagination. The earth was folded in
dreamy haze through which the sunshine stole
with a subtle glory the glowing trees STOOD
unstirrcd by the highest air, the fields reposed
in the warm calm light 1t was suffice It occu-
patton to Albert Gresham to look at the 'unshiny
earth and watch Aunt Dora budding roset, PLAYING
with the baby, the tiny tyrant Of the house,
or reading out items of news from the morning
paper
In the golden afternoon he sat ostensibly writ
ing letters in the dainty little drawing-room,
while Dora-whcsc story he had learnt from his
wife-played Schumann's music with delicate
sympathetic touch and Mildred, outside the open
window on the little lawn, was sitting with book
in her hand and the sleeping babe on her knee
Mildred was like Dora, but it seemed Impossible
to Albert that the latter could ever have looked
so young and happy as his wife.
While thus laziiy musing ne heard step
crunch the gravel. the bell rang, and maid
came TRANQUILITY in with card and the verbal
announcement, major Bruce
Gresham looked up and standing behind the
servant in the hall, saw his fellOw-traveller OF
the night before; then ne looked Mt Dora, feeling
that she must fall or faint, OF give some sign
Of emotion.
She had risen on the servants entrance and
turned pale for moment Then strange and
lovely radiance shone in her face, and she made
q few steps forward TO welcome her visitor, VINO
at the same moment entered the room 1T seemed
as If she had been quietly waiting through the
waste Of years, which had brought young children
to manhood, for longdelayed guest The tears
iprang 70 Alberts eyes when he saw them standing
with clasped hands gazing silently and deeply
into each others eyes, unconscious Of his presence
unconscious perhaps of the changes which time
and s,rrcw had wrought upon them, and seeing
their lost youth all LIES sweetness and who can
tell how much besides, in that long quiet mutual
gaze.
He rose and slipped unnoticed through the open
window, and told Mildred what had occurred, and
the two strolled about the little garden with the
sleeping child while the golden afteroon wore
away and the shadows gathered about the hills and
woods ana the robin sang his last pathetic strain
Then, in the sunset glow, Dora came TRANQUILITY
through the open window TO the young couple
and said that she wished to introduce very old
friend to them Major Bruce followed her with
his slow, hating gait, and claimed Albert as an
old friend, with a smile Of which the latter
would before have deemed him incapable; and the
terrier. jock who had been waiting patiently IN
q dogs sleep on the doorstep al the AFTERNOON,
trotted brislIly up and viewed the scene with
intelligence and approval.
Mrs Cheshams heart the spot by
the manner in which the stranger bent his head
from its great height to kiss the tiny round arm
which the child had thrown with careless grace
outside its wrappings, and afterward she COM
mentcd on the surprising comprehension OF the
scent the baby displayed on being presented by
instantly stretching out its little arms with
bewitching gurgle toward its future relative
and twinng its sts.tightly in his hair in way
which dispelled all stiffness and constraint, and
made Jock utter a whine of piteous Jealousy.
The fact that Major Bruce had seen his letter
and flowers among the contents OF the Silver
o,I hal tl.n 20 tha
that Archie Daily was not, rs he had hitherto
believed, the favored suitor, explained much to
Dora: but she had still TO learn that he always
thought the lock of hair a free gift to Archie,
and not a theft Of that poor boys; and Major
Bruce had still to learn that Dora had always
believed Arche's death TO he pure accident
and that her admitting him on the fatal night
had been n piece of thoughtlessness.
But why" Major Bruce not unnaturally urged,
"if you cared for me did you always treat me
with such dsdan and coldness?"
Il don't KNOW she replied thoughtfully II
have discovered great many things in the course
of my life, but | have never yet been able TO
find out why girls invariably aout the man they
love lest
"Ohl" said Major Bruce With rather a troubled
air, but do they contii that course of action
after marrlagep"
II think mott she replied IL fancy that after
marriage things are reversed. l VIII ask my
niece Milly"
1t took long time TO narrate what befcll
Major Bruce after Archies tragic death. AT first
the combined and crushing misery of losing his
friend. his love- and his reputation at stroke
ovcrset his mind, and from earnest religious
man he became dcspairing and gloomy sllcptic
and after long brooding on his trouble and
especially on the fact that Dora must hate him
the STAY yer If not the murderer of her young
lover, grew to think himself really guilty of the
lads blood.
How he led a wild life Us n soldier in various
places, in India, in Africa. wherever irregular
forces were fighting directly or Indirectly for
England had been wounded, starved, imprisoned,
lost in deserts, but could never win the death
he courted; how his mind gradually recovered
from the shock Of his tronblc. and nfter q great